Early summer sunlight streamed through the carved window lattices of the Grand Tutor's mansion's banquet hall, casting coin-like specks of light on the golden brick floor. Chen Weiwan's fingertips, gripping the teacup, traced the rim of the celadon porcelain. The cracks there resembled the marks left by Shen Ruorou's smashing of the mirror this morning. She lowered her eyes, blew away the foam, and listened to the buzz of conversation among the noble ladies around her. The pearl earrings on her earlobes swayed gently with a smile. Today, the Grand Tutor's wife's flower-viewing banquet had gathered half the noble ladies of the capital. Figures in red and green gathered beneath the corridors, perfect timing for her to take the stage and perform.
"Hey, hey, have you heard?" Wang Ruohan suddenly lowered her voice, her ruby-studded armor scratching against the tablecloth, but she glanced at Chen Weiwan beside the main seat. "The Li Xiu incident has caused a huge uproar. Yesterday, when my cook was buying vegetables, she heard the vegetable vendor singing 'The Broken Sleeve Cripple Deceiving the Beautiful Lady'!"
Mrs. Hanlin's daughter, Zhang Manyu, immediately chimed in, deliberately slamming her fan on the table. "More than that! I heard with my own ears from the storyteller at the West Street teahouse that Li Xiu was drinking with a young man in black clothes at the 'Mianhualou' and was caught red-handed by Miss Shen Er!"
Over twenty gazes shot towards Shen Weiwan, like countless fine needles pinned to the hem of her moon-white skirt. Shen Weiwan set down her teacup, the porcelain base clattering against the tabletop. When she looked up, her almond-shaped eyes widened, her eyelashes casting a trembling shadow beneath her lids. "Broken sleeve? Young Master Li?" She tilted her head, the jade hairpin tassel in her hair gleaming in tiny gleams. "Impossible? The other day in the garden, I saw him holding my cousin's hand, saying, 'I won't marry anyone but Ruorou!'"
Wang Ruohan burst out laughing, her round fan covering her mouth but unable to hide her smile: "My silly sister! The whole city is saying that Li Xiu and your cousin are just playing around and using her as a shield!"
"Ah?" Chen Weiwan suddenly raised her hand to cover her mouth, the nail polish on her fingertips dyed the hair on her cheek red, "Then, isn't my cousin too pitiful?" She suddenly frowned, as if remembering something important. Her voice suddenly lowered but it was loud enough for those around her to hear clearly, "Speaking of which, on the seventh day of last month, my cousin deliberately led Mr. Li to the rockery. Could it be that... she already knew that he was a homosexual and wanted to expose him on the spot?"
These words were like a stone dropped into boiling oil, and the whole place suddenly filled with gasps. The ladies in lilac-colored skirts immediately moved closer, the pearls and jade in their hair clattering against each other.
"Yes! Why did Miss Shen Er suddenly appear in the garden that day?"
"Could it be that you tried to catch an adulterer but ended up being blamed instead?"
"Tsk tsk, this Li Xiu is such a jerk, using a virgin as a cover!"
Chen Weiwan looked at the expressions of the crowd who believed it, and her heart was already smiling, but her brows were furrowed and her fingertips were twisting the handkerchief: "I hope I am just guessing... If my cousin knew that she was being used as a gun, she would be so heartbroken." As she spoke, she deliberately turned her head to look at the moon-shaped door, and happened to see Chen Ruoruo walking in with the support of Liu.
Shen Ruorou was wearing a plain white silk dress today. Her eyes were as red and swollen as ripe peaches. She had only a silver hairpin in her hair, making her look particularly dejected amidst the splendid surroundings. As soon as she entered the room, she felt countless gazes and subconsciously shrank behind Liu, who pinched her arm fiercely.
Liu feigned composure, her gilded armor tapping against the edge of the table as she coughed dryly, "Oh, what's all the fuss?" Before she could finish her words, Wang Ruohan chimed in, "Madam Liu, we were just talking about Li Xiu. Who knew he was that kind of person? He's caused so much trouble for the Second Young Miss!"
The powder on Liu's face fell off, and a stiff smile appeared on the corner of her mouth: "It's just a child's joke, don't take it seriously... Ruorou, why don't you say hello to your sister?"
Shen Ruorou suddenly raised her head, her resentful eyes piercing Shen Weiwan like a knife, but she suddenly flinched when she met her "innocent" almond eyes. She gritted her teeth and squeezed out a few words: "Sister...I'm fine."
Chen Weiwan immediately showed a look of concern and took a half step forward: "Why does your cousin look so bad? Is it because of the heat?" She turned her head and winked at Chuntao, "Quickly go to the storehouse and get some iced mung bean paste to cool down the second young lady."
"No need!" Shen Ruorou suddenly raised her voice, her knuckles turning white as she clutched the handkerchief, causing the whole room to whisper. Only then did she realize her loss of composure and hurriedly lowered her head, her hair falling to cover her red ears.
Shen Weiwan sighed with pretended regret, and when she looked at Liu, her eyes were "sincere": "Aunt, my cousin has suffered such a great injustice, you must enlighten her well and don't let her get sick."
Liu's face flushed purple from choking. Just as she was about to retort, the sound of horse hooves suddenly rang out from outside the moonlit gate. The Seventh Prince, Xiao Yu, walked in, accompanied by his Grand Tutor. The dark dragon pattern on his moon-white uniform was faintly visible in the sunlight. He swept his eyes across the room, finally landing on Shen Weiwan in the corner, a playful smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
"Miss Shen," Xiao Yu walked over, the black jade tassel at his waist brushing the edge of the table, "Just now, when I was outside, I seemed to hear you talking about Li Xiu's interesting stories?"
As Shen Weiwan bowed, the dragon-patterned jade pendant on her sleeve swayed gently: "Your Highness, I just heard from my sisters that there is something fishy going on between Master Li and my cousin."
"Strange?" Xiao Yu raised an eyebrow and opened his folding fan with a snap. The ink bamboo on the fan trembled lightly in the wind. "I'd like to hear how it's strange."
"I just feel that my cousin is too pitiful," Shen Weiwan blinked, her eyelashes like frightened butterfly wings, "a good girl, not only was she used as a shield, but she also got the reputation of 'seducing gay'..." She suddenly lowered her voice, "Your Highness, how could someone like Mr. Li fall for my cousin?"
Xiao Yu watched her blatant "performance" and let out a chuckle: "You seem to be feeling sorry for your cousin."
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